Page turner for sheet music and the like

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a rectangular board having a longitudinally disposed upturned lower edge to prevent the sheet of music or the like that is placed on the board from sliding off. Two diametrically opposed spring clips on the board hold the music in place. An electric motor is located on the upper right hand corner of the board, the motor being provided with a pulley that has an endless cord encompassing the same, the cord also encompasses a free-turning pulley that is located on the opposite side of the board. A wire track is suitably mounted parallel to the just-mentioned cord. The purpose of the wire track is to provide a means of guiding a swivel fastener which is connected to the cord and also to a spring clip, the spring clip being secured to the sheet of music or page that is to be turned. A foot-operated switch, that is connected to an electric motor, completes the construction of this invention which is preferably mounted on a vertically disposed stand.

United States Patent Machnacz [451 May 23, 1972 PAGE TURNER FOR SHEETMUSIC AND THE LIKE Joseph H. Machnacz, 12216 Aster Rd., Philadelphia,Pa. 19154 Filed: Sept. 3, 1970 Appl. No.: 69,213

lnventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Richard B.Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin [57] ABSTRACT Thisinvention consists of a rectangular board having a longitudinallydisposed upturned lower edge to prevent the sheet of music or the likethat is placed on the board from sliding off. Two diametrically opposedspring clips on the board hold the music in place. An electric motor islocated on the upper right hand comer of the board, the motor beingprovided with a pulley that has an endless cord encompassing the same,the cord also encompasses a free-tuming pulley that is located on theopposite side of the board. A wire track is suitably mounted parallel tothe just-mentioned cord. The purpose of the wire track is to provide ameans of guiding a swivel fastener which is connected to the cord andalso to a spring clip, the spring clip being secured to the sheet ofmusic or page that is to be turned. A foot-operated switch, that isconnected to an electric motor, completes the construction of thisinvention which is preferably mounted on a vertically disposed stand.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented May 23, 1972 INV ENTOR JOSEPH H.MACHNACZ PAGE TURNER FOR SHEET MUSIC AND THE LIKE This invention relatesto page tumers which are devices used to turn the pages of a book or ofmusic; more particularly to a page turner especially made for thepurpose of turning pages of sheet music or the like.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a page turnerfor sheet music and the like that can be operated by ones foot since itrequires the use of both hands to play most musical instruments.

Another object of this invention is to provide a page turner for sheetmusic and the like that is mounted on a stand in front of the musician.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a page turner forsheet music and the like that embodies the combination of simplemechanical mechanism and an electric motor for the turning of the sheetmusic or the like.

With these objects already in view, other objects will no doubt appearhereinafter as the reading of this specification and its appended claimsproceeds and the accompanying drawing is examined in connectiontherewith.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of this invention in actual use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged pictorial view of the major part of thisinvention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged pictorial view of that detail of this inventionthat is enclosed within the arrowed ellipse and indicated by the number3 in FIG. 2, although the hereinafter described electric motor is notshown for reasons of clarity.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged pictorial view of that detail of this inventionthat is enclosed within the arrowed ellipse and indicated by the number4 in FIG. 2.

In the several views of the accompanying drawing, like parts of thisinvention are indicated by like reference numbers.

Looking first at FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawing it will be seen thatthis invention consists of a rectangular board 7 or the like on whichsheet music or the like is placed. The lower longitudinal edge 8 of theaforesaid board 7 is upturned at right angle in order to prevent thesheet music or whatever else is placed on the board from falling offwhen the board is mounted at an angle on the top of the verticallydisposed stand 9, as one can see by looking at FIG. 1 of the drawing.

Continued examination of the already-mentioned FIG. 2 of the drawingwill show that the music 10 is held on the aforesaid board 7 by means oftwo opposed spring clips 11. A longitudinally disposed wire track 12 hasintegrally formed and vertically disposed wire legs 13 at each endthereof that are suitably secured to the top of the aforesaid board 7above the upper edge of the sheet music 10. A spring music holding clip14 is mounted on one end of a swivel fastener 15 that has its other endencompassing the aforesaid wire track 12. A portion of the aforesaidswivel fastener 15 is suitably secured to the cord 16 that encompassesthe free-turning pulley 17. Freeturning pulley 17 is supported by thepulley holder 18 which is mounted on one end of the aforesaid board 7between the upper edge of one page of the sheet music 10 and one of theaforesaid legs 13 of the wire track 12. The aforesaid cord 16 alsoencompasses the pulley 19 that is secured to the shaft 20 of theelectric motor 21 that is also mounted on the aforesaid board 7 of thisinvention. The aforesaid electric motor 21 is connected by the electriccord 22 to a foot-operated switch 23, as one can see by looking at FIG.1 of the accompanying drawing.

The way in which this novel invention works is obvious from examinationof the drawing. It will be understood even by those not experienced inthe art that when a sheet of music or a page of a book is placed on theaforesaid rectangular board 7 and held in place by the two aforesaidspring'clips 11, and a page of the music is to be turned by the holdingclip 14, all one has to do, after plugging in the aforesaid electricmotor 21 to a source of electricity, is to step down on thepreviously-mentioned foot-operated switch 23. Thiswill activate themotor 21 which will rotate the aforesaid pulley 19. When pulley 19 isrotated, the encompassing cord 16 will move automatically longitudinallyIn a counter-clockwise direction, as IS indicate by the arrowed line inFIG. 2 of the drawing. Since the swivel fastener 15, that has one endsecured to the aforesaid spring holding clip 14, is secured to the cord16 and guided by and stabilized by the longitudinally disposed wiretrack 12 that is parallel to the cord 16, the spring clip 14 will bemoved over to the left side of the aforesaid board 7 and thus turn thepage of music to that side of the board.

Obviously, many details not shown in the accompanying drawing can beadded to this invention if it is so desired. For example, a simpledevice can be added to the left hand side of the board to automaticallydisconnect the aforesaid spring clip 14 from the music after the pagehas been turned. A second device can be added to the right hand side ofthe board to automatically cause the clip to grasp another page or sheetof music after the clip has been returned to the right hand side of theboard 7 by the automatic reversing of the direction of rotation of theaforesaid electric motor 21. The board 7 can be equipped with anelectric light for the reading of the music or book, if it is sodesired.

This invention, whose construction and operation has now been describedin detail, is subject to any and all changes and/or modifications thatone may care to make in so long as the changes and/or modifications fallwithin the scope and intent of the appended claims.

What I now claim as new is:

1. A page turner for sheet music and the like, comprising a board onwhich sheet music is placed and secured, the board being substantiallyrectangular in shape and having a longitudinally disposed upturned loweredge, the said board being mounted on the upper end of a verticallydisposed stand, electrically activated means for turning the sheet musicor page when it is so desired, the said electrically activated means forturning the sheet music comprising an electric motor that is providedwith a pulley which is encompassed in part by an endless cord thatextends longitudinally to the other end of the said board where the cordencompasses in part a free-turning pulley that is supported by a pulleyholder which is secured to the said board; and a spring clip adapted tobe clipped to the sheet of music that is to be turned, the said clipbeing secured to one end of a swivel that is secured to the said cord.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said swivel is guided by a wiretrack that is suitably secured to the said board parallel to the saidendless cord.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the said electric motor is providedwith a foot-operated switch for the control of the said motor.

1. A page turner for sheet music and the like, comprising a board onwhich sheet music is placed and secured, the board being substantiallyrectangular in shape and having a longitudinally disposed upturned loweredge, the said board being mounted on the upper end of a verticallydisposed stand, electrically activated means for turning the sheet musicor page when it is so desired, the said electrically activated means forturning the sheet music comprising an electric motor that is providedwith a pulley which is encompassed in part by an endless cord thatextends longitudinally to the other end of the said board where the cordencompasses in part a free-turning pulley that is supported by a pulleyholder which is secured to the said board; and a spring clip adapted tobe clipped to the sheet of music that is to be turned, the said clipbeing secured to one end of a swivel that is secured to the said cord.2. The invention of claim 1, wherein thE said swivel is guided by a wiretrack that is suitably secured to the said board parallel to the saidendless cord.
 3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the said electricmotor is provided with a foot-operated switch for the control of thesaid motor.